The invention relates to a mobile radio telephone terminal for communication (voice and data transmission) via a mobile radio telephone network by means of a portable data carrier for such mobile radio telephone terminals and to a mobile radio telephone network in which the same are employed.
The term xe2x80x9cmobile radio telephone networkxe2x80x9d covers, for example, a mobile radio telephone network in accordance with the GSM, PCS or DCS standard or a satellite supported mobile radio telephone network.
The mobile radio telephone terminal is thereby capable of making a connection with a subscriber within this mobile radio telephone network, with a subscriber of another mobile radio telephone network of the same country, with a subscriber of a conventional telecommunication network of the same country, with a subscriber of a mobile radio telephone network of another country, or with a subscriber of a conventional telecommunication network of another country.
From the field of telecommunications, a so-called calling card service (telecommunication network service) is known wherein the subscriber is connected from a telecommunication terminal (e.g., a public telephone or a hotel telephone) with the calling card service center after dialing a toll-free access number and entering a personal identification number, and, after successful identification and dialing of the desired subscriber""s number, is connected via the calling card service center with the number of the desired subscriber. In Germany, for example, a calling card service of said type is offered by Deutsche Telekom AG under the name T-Card Service. The number to be entered by the user in addition to the desired subscriber""s numberxe2x80x94comprising the toll-free access number+the personal identification number+another personal number (PIN), if requiredxe2x80x94is very long and requires some concentration during entry because otherwise there is a high probability of an erroneous input.
A first method of billing of the telephone calls made via the calling card service can provide for debiting each completed telephone call against a previously paid amount/balance, whereby in the case of there being no credit remaining no further telephone calls are possible (prepaid method). A second method provides for billing on the basis of a contractual continuous obligation after certain time intervals (e.g., once per month), with no limitation with respect to a maximum amount of charges within said time period (postpaid method).
The object of the invention is to make calling card services easily available for the users of mobile radio telephone systems.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile radio telephone terminal for communication via a mobile radio telephone network, wherein at least one access number to a telecommunication network service and a corresponding personal identification number are stored in the terminal, the terminal providing and transmitting the access number and the personal identification number after authentication to the mobile radio telephone network for communication establishment.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a personal chip card for a mobile radio telephone terminal, the chip card serving for authentication of a mobile radio telephone subscriber to a mobile radio telephone network, wherein an identification code of a country and/or a mobile radio telephone network, in whose transmitting and receiving area the mobile radio telephone terminal is located, is storable on the personal chip card, and a data field for storing at least one each country-specific and/or mobile radio telephone network-specific access number to a telecommunication network service is provided in the non-volatile memory of the personal chip card.
According to a third aspect, the personal chip card is characterized in that a data field for storing a part of an access number to a telecommunication network service, which is specific for a calling card service, and a data field for storing two or more country-specific or mobile radio telephone network specific parts of the access number are provided in the non-volatile memory of the personal chip card.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile radio telephone network for voice and data transmission with a plurality of mobile radio telephone terminals, wherein at least an access number to a telecommunication network service and a corresponding personal identification number are stored in part of the mobile radio telephone terminals, the mobile radio telephone terminal providing and transmitting the access number and the personal identification number for communication establishment after authentication to the mobile radio telephone network.
Additional aspects will be described in the description of the preferred embodiments.